Rutgers: First quarter play against Fresno State still puzzles

Tim Farrell/The Star-LedgerThere was frustration all around Monday during Rutgers' loss to Fresno State -- both on the field and in the stands

NOTEBOOK

There are plenty of play calls that Rutgers coach Greg Schiano would like to have back from Monday's opening-game loss to Fresno State -- though none more than the head-scratcher from the first quarter of a scoreless game.

Rutgers faced a third-and-goal from the Fresno State 3-yard line when the Knights called a running play for Mason Robinson.

It lost a yard.

Rather than settle for the easy field goal -- and a 3-0 lead in a game in which Rutgers never led -- the Knights hurried back to the line of scrimmage and ran the same play on fourth down.

It gained a yard.

"We just need to execute the play," quarterback Mike Teel said. "Our coaching staff does a great job of putting the schemes together. We just need to execute the play.

"That play is kind of our bread and butter down there. We've been running that for a while. We were hoping to get up there and quick-snap it and them not be ready. They did a good job."

Of course, that play was Rutgers' bread and butter when Ray Rice, the greatest running back in school history, was lined up behind Teel.

Yet another curiosity about the play: Schiano and offensive coordinator John McNulty passed on the chance to use bruising 230-pound tailback Jourdan Brooks, their short-yardage specialist, on consecutive plays.

"We had two plays set up there and we decided to go for the touchdown and ... we didn't make it," Schiano said.

Though Teel struggled to find his rhythm for much of the game -- he was 20-for-39 and high and wide too often on throws -- Schiano said he never considered inserting backup quarterback Jabu Lovelace as a change of pace.

"Oh no, I didn't think about that at all," Schiano said.

With two more interceptions, Teel now has 38 for his career compared to 34 touchdown passes. The school record for interceptions is 52 (Ryan Hart).

Fresno State coach Pat Hill was clearly pleased with his team's effort -- and the program's latest road victory and latest BCS notch it can add. He credited his team's physical second-half play for the victory.

"We won at the line of scrimmage," Hill said. "In the first half I don't think we were ready for it. But you know what? We finished really strong. I feel good about traveling across the country and putting one on somebody on the East Coast at their home."

Kordell Young started at tailback and took the bulk of the carries -- 26 of the 34 running plays were his. The third-year sophomore finished with 94 yards and a touchdown as Rutgers rushed for just 106 yards. Mason Robinson (six carries for 12 yards) was the only other tailback to carry the ball."

The crowd of 42,508 marked Rutgers' 11th straight sellout.

Schiano said he had not lost faith in redshirt freshman placekicker San San Te, who was 0-for-2 on field goals in his college debut (though one miss was due to a bad snap) and didn't handle the kickoffs (punter Teddy Dellaganna did). "San San did not do very well today but I've seen him do well and I know he will be fine," Schiano said.

Special teams were practically non-existent, though Dennis Campbell did have an 82-yard punt return for a score nullified by a block in the back.